A Broken Home
by Gemini11
Summary: As children Prue, Piper, and Phoebe have to come together as their parents' marriage begins to degrade. They must cope with the fighting between family and the fighting against evil.


Part 1  
  
  
  
i Dear Diary,  
  
That is how I should start, isn't it? I've never had a diary before. 'Dear diary' sounds so cliché though. Perhaps I could start by saying 'Hey Me! Today is your birthday! Mom got you this nifty book to scribble in and the only reason you're writing in it is because you don't have anyone to talk to.' That would get right down to the point, wouldn't it? /i  
  
She sighed and slammed the diary shut. She threw the pencil down beside it, and leaned back in her bed.  
  
"This is so stupid." She told herself. "Writing it down won't fix anything." She scratched her chin as she looked down at the little blue book. "Sixteen today and they give me a diary." She scoffed and rolled off the bed. "That seems like something I should've been given at twelve."  
  
She crossed the room to her window and gazed out at the stars. It was a perfectly clear night and the moon was full, lighting up the world beneath it. She sighed, wishing, for once, that she were in a different time and place. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door…a persistent knock.  
  
"Come in." She muttered as she made her way back to her bed.  
  
"Prue?" Phoebe peeked around the door, into the room.  
  
Prue looked up and saw Phoebe's red nose and heard the pain in her voice. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Can I come in?" Phoebe pleaded; she knew Prue and herself hadn't been on the best terms lately, but she was hoping her sister would forget about all that for at least ten minutes.  
  
"Sure." Prue sighed. "It's not like I'm busy or anything."  
  
Phoebe quietly shut the door behind her and joined Prue on the bed. She wiped her hand across her nose and looked down at her knees. Prue knew she'd been crying... anyone would have been able to tell. Prue didn't ask questions; she just watched her sister get comfortable.  
  
Finally, in a timid voice Phoebe spoke up. "They're fighting again."  
  
Prue nodded her head. "I know." She pointed towards the door with her thumb, over her shoulder. "Not exactly sound proof."  
  
"Do you know what they're fighting over?" Phoebe asked, more than ready to tell her if she didn't.  
  
"No, I can hear them, but I can't make anything out."  
  
"They're fighting because of me." Phoebe whispered looking ashamed of herself. "I asked for a guitar for my next birthday, and Dad went on about how it was too expensive. Then Mom told him that it wasn't, and if that's what I wanted for my birthday then that's what I'd get. Dad got mad saying they couldn't waste money on something I'd just give up on after a week. That he wouldn't pay three hundred dollars to let it sit in my closet and collect dust. I was so mad." Phoebe paused to take a deep breath to steady her shaky voice. "It's not like I was asking for the world. Then I slipped out of the room, and I guess when they noticed I was gone the shouting started."  
  
Prue picked up one of Phoebe's hands and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Phoebe, I'm sure that you're not their reason for fighting. Things haven't been going to well between Mom and Dad, and they'll use anything as an excuse to get mad now days."  
  
"Prue," Phoebe started to say.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why does he give up on me so easily?" Phoebe asked in a hurt voice. "Why does he see me as such a quitter?"  
  
"Oh, Phoebe…come here." Prue patted the mattress beside her, and Phoebe scootched over. Prue threw an arm around her little sister's shoulders. "Dad is a very organized man. He plans everything out, follows instructions to the very last detail, he categorizes his sock drawer by colors…" Prue looked down to make sure Phoebe was catching her point, Phoebe nodded. "You're totally unorganized, Pheebs. You take every problem as it comes, you deal with it however you see fit at that moment, you do things when and if you like…you're a wild child with a free spirit, and that's great, don't get me wrong. It's just something that Dad doesn't understand that well."  
  
Phoebe leaned her head against Prue's shoulder. "I just want him to be proud of me." She titled her head to look up at Prue. "Is it so much to ask for a little support now and again?"  
  
"From him? Apparently so." Prue answered in disgust.  
  
Prue was busy comforting her little sister when they heard the shouting erupt in the hallway again; only this time they heard Piper's voice mingled with those of their parents'. Prue and Phoebe shared a look before running to the door to see what was going on.  
  
They opened Prue's bedroom door to see Piper nearly in tears screaming at Patty and Victor. She had been at a friends house the previous night and was just getting home…late. Victor was shouting at her for not calling to let them know she'd be late, and Piper's glasses kept falling down the bridge of her nose, frustrating her that much more. Something that Victor said in a low voice made Piper's voice rise louder.  
  
"Fine! I don't care! Why don't you two just get a damn divorce already and stop making us suffer! Either work out your problems or get the hell out and take your anger out on someone other than your kids!" She screamed at the two adults standing, flabbergasted, in the hallway, and then she reached up and grabbed her glasses, which had slid down her nose again, off her face and broke them in half, flinging them at the wall. "Crap!" She shouted at the pieces. She ran into her room, slammed the door, and the lock slid into place with a click.  
  
Patty and Victor stared at her door before turning to Prue and Phoebe. Patty started to say something to explain, or to apologize, but Phoebe pushed the door shut and returned to her spot on the bed. Prue followed quietly.  
  
"What do we do?" Phoebe asked Prue.  
  
"We wait, and then we go check on Piper." Prue decided. "And then we come up with something to do about this situation we're in."  
  
"You mean all the fighting?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Prue looked over at Phoebe, her twelve-year-old sister, and decided there was nothing that Phoebe did not understand about what was happening. She knew that a divorce was near. She wasn't an idiot. "Our family is falling apart, Phoebe."  
  
Phoebe looked down at her hands. "I know, Prue." She looked up after a few moments of silence. "If they get divorced, who will get us?"  
  
"Well, Mom, unless Dad takes her to court for custody—"  
  
"Which he probably will…" Phoebe cut in. "We all know how much he doesn't want us to be a part of magic anymore." Phoebe scratched her chin nervously. "If Dad won custody…what would we do? We're witches, Prue, it's who we are…but he'd try and take that away."  
  
"Then let's hope we never have to deal with that."  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 2  
  
Prue and Phoebe waited until they heard Patty slam her bedroom door shut and heard Victor leaving the house to venture out into the hallway. At the doorway to Prue's room, Phoebe caught her.  
  
"Prue?" Phoebe started. "Can we call it a truce for a while? I can't deal with this with just Piper. Sometimes, like now…we both need iyou/i."  
  
"Alright, kiddo, it's a truce." Prue shook Phoebe's proffered hand. "Let's go."  
  
They quietly snuck past their mother's door to their sister's door. Phoebe tapped on the door – two knocks and a scratch, something that always let Piper know it was Phoebe. Prue waited as Phoebe tapped her foot impatiently, she didn't want to be caught in the hall by their mother…she'd try to apologize, and they'd be there for hours and eventually a fight would break out anyway.  
  
Finally, Piper opened her door. She had a red nose and the puffy eyes to go along with it, like Phoebe had earlier. "Hurry," She muttered, pulling them in and shutting the door. Prue and Phoebe watched her as she locked her door.  
  
They followed her to her bed, and all three of them crawled on. Prue and Phoebe sat across from Piper. Phoebe gave Piper a half-smile.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked, fiddling with the comforter on the bed.  
  
Piper nodded weakly. "I'm fine."  
  
Prue cocked her head and raised her eyebrows at Piper. "Piper?"  
  
Piper sighed and sniffled. "Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not fine, you're not fine, and Phoebe's not fine! We're all depressed and angry all the time."  
  
Prue and Phoebe looked down along with Piper; they didn't know what to say. Phoebe crawled across the bed and sat down next to Piper on her knees. Piper looked up, and Phoebe threw her arms around her. Piper sat there for a moment before returning the hug. Phoebe motioned for Prue to join in as well, but as Prue was moving towards them there was a banging on Piper's door that made them all jump.  
  
"I'm going out!" Patty called.  
  
Prue ran to the door and opened it. "Where to?"  
  
"There's a demon somewhere near Old Reeve's market, I can't remember the name of the place, but I'm going to vanquish it."  
  
"Mom, you can't just go alone, what if it's stronger?"  
  
"I'm meeting your grandmother there. Don't worry about me. It's him you need to worry about because he's going to be dust when I'm finished with him."  
  
Phoebe spoke up from Piper's side. "You're going to vanquish a demon? He didn't attack first?" Patty nodded in irritation. "I thought you said we should never go looking for trouble. That we should let it come to us, where we're strongest."  
  
"Well," She faltered looking for words. "I'm older than you are. I don't need the house to be strong. I'm going. I'll be back later."  
  
She reached in and grabbed the door, yanking it away from Prue. It slammed shut leaving her daughters staring at it. Prue kicked the bottom of the door.  
  
"She's gonna get herself killed!" She screamed angrily. "And all because of Dad fighting with her."  
  
"If I had just come home on time…" Piper sighed. "We could've avoided ithis/i fight."  
  
Prue marched over and pointed a finger at Piper. "No! Don't you dare blame yourself for this. We promised we wouldn't blame ourselves when all this started. Do you remember? We promised."  
  
Piper nodded slowly. "I remember. I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I don't know why I said it. I know it's not our fault that any of this is happening."  
  
"What do we do now?" Phoebe asked, holding Piper's hand for reassurance. Reassurance for Piper? Or for herself?"  
  
"We follow her." Prue shrugged. "We can't let her get killed over a silly fight." Prue went to her sister's closet and pulled out a jacket. "I don't care what she says; we're stronger than see is away from the house." She tossed Piper the jacket. "Phoebe's is downstairs on the rack with mine."  
  
Piper put on her jacket. "How will we get there in time? We can't drive…" She remembered Prue had just gotten her license two weeks ago. "Well, not without the car anyway." She added quickly.  
  
"Then we'll take a cab."  
  
"But won't she already be there by then?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"You're right." Prue shoulders slumped in defeat. "We'll find a spell."  
  
Piper and Phoebe hopped off the bed. "A transportation spell? Do we have those in the book?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I think so." Prue headed into the hallway and to the attic. "If not, we'll write one. You're good enough at coming up with spells." She told Phoebe.  
  
"I hope this works." Piper sighed as she followed.  
  
  
  
Part 3  
  
"Nothing…" Prue slammed the book shut with a sigh. She was unsuccessful in finding a spell to send them to wherever their mother was going. "Phoebe…?"  
  
"Alright." Phoebe nodded. "How much time have I got?"  
  
"Well, from here it takes about half an hour to get to Reeve's place. So I'd say you've got about ten to fifteen minutes left." Prue answered.  
  
"Alright…" Phoebe sat down with her pad and pencil and began scribbling things down.  
  
Piper and Prue sat behind her on a couch, waiting as patiently as they could. Piper couldn't seem to sit still, and Prue finally grabbed her by the shoulders, gently.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Prue asked.  
  
"I don't feel good." She explained. Prue started to feel her forehead. Piper grabbed her hand and held it. "No, Prue, not like that. My body isn't sick…It feels like my heart is sick. It hurts…here." With her free hand she tapped her chest, over her heart. "I just want to sit down at cry, but I can't seem to justify crying."  
  
"What do you mean?" Prue asked, pulling her sister into a half hug.  
  
"I started to cry and then I just stop. I just feel wrong…" Piper admitted. "It's like I have no right to cry. There are bigger problems in the world, and I'm crying because I feel bad."  
  
"Piper, you shouldn't feel guilty or ashamed to cry." Prue said and started to rub her back, trying to soothe her.  
  
"Okay!" Phoebe interrupted. "I think I've got it."  
  
She handed Prue a piece of paper and her big sister's eyes scanned the sheet. "This ought to work fine."  
  
She grabbed Piper by the hand and pulled her to her feet. She, Piper, and Phoebe held hands and recited Phoebe's newly created spell. They crossed their fingers and hoped it would work. After the reciting, the room began to spin and they all closed their eyes tightly.  
  
When they opened their eyes they saw their mother's car pulling up to the curb across the street. The market was there…and so was a demon holding a homeless man off the ground against the outside wall of the little market.  
  
Patty ran at the demon, alone. First she froze him, freed the old man; he didn't hesitate to run away as fast as he could, and then she backed away – towards the car, waiting on the demon to unfreeze.  
  
Phoebe looked around. "Where's Grams? She said she'd meet her here."  
  
"She lied to us." Prue stated.  
  
The demon unfroze and started forming a ball of fiery energy in his hand, prepared to throw it at Patty. Patty was pulling something out of her purse…the potion, Prue assumed. The demon pulled his arm back and released the ball at their mother. Patty screamed, and Prue used her powers to send the ball back into the demon. It slammed him into the wall of the market, denting the brick. The sisters ran across the street to their mother's side, Piper froze the demon as he picked himself up.  
  
"Are you crazy?" Prue shouted at Patty. "You're going to get yourself killed here!"  
  
"I can handle this!" Patty shouted back, pushing past Prue.  
  
Patty flung a bottle at the demon. It crashed on his chest and blue liquid spread all over him. He started smoking and a scream followed, along with a fireworks display…and then he was gone. She turned to see her daughters standing together, all had their arms crossed with expressions of disappointment on their faces.  
  
"Get in the car!" She ordered. "We're going home."  
  
"Where's Grams, Mom?" Piper asked.  
  
"I didn't need her." Patty answered arrogantly.  
  
"Mom…you could have died, and we'd be alone." Phoebe pointed out. "You weren't thinking of us at all."  
  
"Get in the car!" She shouted again.  
  
Prue grabbed Phoebe when she started to do as she was told. Phoebe paused and looked up at Prue. Piper looked up at her as well. Neither knew what she was about to do.  
  
"I think we'd better walk home." Prue stated. "You can cool off on the way home."  
  
"Don't you talk back to me, Prue." Patty said, quietly. "Just get in the car. We'll deal with everything at home."  
  
"We'll see you at home." Prue said.  
  
She took Piper and Phoebe by the hands and started to lead them down the road. Patty stood there in disbelief for a few minutes. Finally, she shouted after them.  
  
"Prudence! I mean it!" Her voice sounded to be cracking. "Get…back here!"  
  
Prue ignored her, although Piper and Phoebe could see she was crying. Prue pulled them closer, putting an arm around their shoulders. Patty's voice got more distant, and painful.  
  
"Prudence! Piper! Phoebe!! Please! I'm sorry, come back!" Patty pleaded. "We'll figure it all out! We'll fix it all…" When her daughters didn't stop, she broke down. "Please don't leave me here alone!" She saw Prue pause down the road. "Please! I don't want to be alone…"  
  
Prue shook her head, as if trying to shake away the tears. Piper and Phoebe exchanged looks, they didn't know what to do, so they stayed quiet; both were crying out of pain, confusion, and anger.  
  
"Prue, sweetie, I need you!" Patty called after her daughters. She was on her knees, sobbing. "Don't…leave me…please…"  
  
Prue dropped her arms from her sisters' shoulders and turned around to look at her mother. She headed back towards her, with Phoebe and Piper following. Prue picked her mother up off the ground.  
  
"Get into the car." She said softly to Patty.  
  
Patty sucked back her sobs and crawled into the back seat. Prue took the keys and got into the car. Piper and Phoebe both squeezed into the front seat with Prue. Piper glanced back at Patty and saw her lying across the seat, curling up, in tears. Prue started the car and drove them home.  
  
  
  
Part 4  
  
i  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
Just so you know, I still think this is stupid. Mom and Dad had another fight, and then Mom went off traipsing after some demon on her own! She didn't even think to ask for help from anyone. She just—this is dumb. /i  
  
Prue slammed her diary shut. She shook her head as she flung it against the wall. She kicked off her shoes and lay back in her bed. She reached over and was just about to turn her stereo on when she heard a knock.  
  
"Who is it?" She asked, sitting up.  
  
"Piper and Phoebe." Piper's voice answered.  
  
Prue got up and unlocked her door to let them in. "What's going on?" She asked upon seeing Piper's serious face and Phoebe's pained expression.  
  
"Phoebe wants to run away." Piper stated, shutting the door and locking it in place. "I won't let her, and she's mad at me for it. Tell her, Prue. Tell her she can't."  
  
Prue looked to Phoebe and opened her mouth. She was going to ask Phoebe where she would go, how she would make it on her own, and how she would protect herself, what with being only twelve and all; but she couldn't get the words out. She kept asking herself, 'How can I tell her she can't? It'd probably do her more good than harm, especially to get away from this hell hole. Hell, we should all run away…we could take care of each other…'  
  
"Prue?" Piper asked in disbelief, and then in a pleading voice she added, "Tell her that she can't…"  
  
She knew Piper just wanted her to make everything better again, but she couldn't. She felt like a failure. She was supposed to take care of her sisters, and all she was doing was suffering just as much as they were. Their parents were so absorbed in themselves, that they didn't realize how much they hurt their children; they couldn't see how much they were affecting their lives…  
  
"Prue?" Phoebe whispered. "Can't I leave?"  
  
Upon hearing Phoebe ask if she could go, Prue's thoughts were put into perspective. "No. No, you can't go. You can't run away. You're only a kid, Pheebs." She motioned for her sisters to sit on her bed. "I know it's tempting, trust me, I've wanted to more times than I could count…but we can't go. Phoebe, we have to deal with this somehow. We have to stick together."  
  
"How?" Phoebe asked in a childish voice. "Our family is slowly falling apart, Prue."  
  
Piper sniffled back fresh tears at hearing her twelve year old sister state this horrible but obvious fact. It hurt them all to have to go through something they shouldn't be forced to deal with at their ages.  
  
"We just have to." Prue replied.  
  
"Prue, they won't stay together…will they?" Piper asked, staring down at the floor.  
  
Prue glanced over at Piper. "Piper," She was going to reassure her sister that they would because they loved each other, but then she thought 'she's not stupid', so she decided to be honest with her sisters. "I don't know. I wish they would work things out, but I don't think they can."  
  
"I can't imagine it…" Phoebe said in a thoughtful voice. "I can't picture living with just one of them… I can't imagine what it would be like going to stay the night with my best friend and feeling jealous just because she has two parents. What about holidays? Who will we be with?" Phoebe's face suddenly looked scared. "What if they break us up? What if Dad gets one of us and Mom gets the other two?"  
  
"Phoebe, calm down." Prue said in a soothing voice. "That hasn't happened yet, and if it does then I'll fix it."  
  
Piper looked at Prue skeptically. "You wouldn't be able to fix it if a judge rules it, Prue." Piper bit her bottom lip to keep from crying.  
  
"I wanna go vanquish something." Phoebe muttered, snuggling up next to Piper.  
  
Prue sat down with them. "I know the feeling." She sighed. "Why don't you two go get your pillows and we'll all sleep in here tonight?"  
  
Piper and Phoebe both seemed to brighten up the slightest bit. "Okay!" They both said together, running out of the room and down the hall.  
  
Prue heard the front door downstairs slam shut and then Victor was marching up the stairs in a rage. He sounded drunk…Prue was amazed…she knew he could be a major jerk, but she'd never pegged him as a drunk. She was hurrying to fix up her room, when she heard Phoebe scream.  
  
Prue dropped her pillows on the floor and raced into the hall. Phoebe was curled up in a ball on the floor a few feet from Victor. Prue ran to her side, putting a protective arm around her. Piper was watching from her doorway, with her arms wrapped fearfully around her pillow.  
  
"What the hell happened?" Prue asked angrily.  
  
"He tried to…" Phoebe faltered. "Prue, he's drunk!"  
  
"I know, Phoebe, what happened?" Prue asked, more persistent. "Tell me wha–ahh!"  
  
Victor had grabbed a handful of Prue's hair and lifted her up away from Phoebe. "Why don't you get to your room!" She shoved her in the direction she'd come from.  
  
Prue turned around and glared at him. "I suggest you get out of this house until you've sobered up."  
  
Victor staggered forward a step and then looked at Piper in the doorway, she was crying silently. Phoebe was clutching her knees to her chest, staring at her knees, sniffling. Prue was threatening him. He shook his head and realized that he wasn't acting normal.  
  
"I'm sorry…" He muttered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" He shook his head and turned to go back down the stairs.  
  
Prue almost went to help him down, worried that, in his drunken stupor, he'd trip and fall down them. He was gone when she decided she should. She turned and helped Phoebe up.  
  
"What happened?" Prue demanded.  
  
"He swung at me." Phoebe whispered in shame. "He tried to hit me. It wasn't Daddy though, Prue. Really, he was drunk, and it wasn't him… it wasn't his fault."  
  
"Shh," Prue pulled her into a hug. When she pulled away she pointed over at Phoebe's pillow and teddy bear. "Get your stuff and let's get to sleep."  
  
Piper buried her face in her pillow and dried her tears before following Phoebe into Prue's room. The three of them crawled into Prue's bed, with the bedroom door locked into place. Prue was in the middle, Piper and Phoebe cuddled up to each side of her. Phoebe's free arm was clutched, protectively around her teddy bear.  
  
"I love you, Prue." Phoebe whispered. "I love you, Piper."  
  
"I love you both." Prue replied.  
  
"I love you both, too." Piper whispered. "Good night."  
  
  
  
Part 5  
  
  
  
Prue stirred and woke to find the sun streaming in her window and her sisters snuggled up against her. She glanced at her watch…it was nine in the morning. Prue sat up in the bed. That wasn't right…why was that wrong? She glanced across the room at a calendar hung by the door.  
  
"It's Monday!" She hissed as she crawled over Phoebe.  
  
She did so carefully, so that she wouldn't wake her sisters…just yet. She left the room in a hurry and ran to her parents' room. Neither of them was present. Prue grunted and ran downstairs into the kitchen. Posted on the refrigerator door was a note scrawled in her mother's hasty penmanship.  
  
Prue read the note which informed her that her grandmother had been attacked demonically, and her mother was going to aid her in vanquishing it. Prue sighed…as long as she was with Penny things would be fine.  
  
Prue trudged upstairs and woke her sisters. They had already missed the first two hours of school, and she saw no point in going now. Piper woke up first and panicked, going on and on about a huge test that she'd been studying for all week.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Prue said. "We'll have Mom call the principle when she gets home and she'll get the absence excused so that you can make up the test."  
  
"Fine…" Piper threw back the covers and started to head for the bathroom, but then stopped at Prue's doorway. "Wait…you said when Mom gets home?" Prue nodded. "Where did she go?"  
  
"She's with Grams." Prue said, deciding to wait until Phoebe was up to explain why. She didn't want to have to repeat herself. "Go take your shower, I'll wake Phoebe and get breakfast started."  
  
"Oh…I don't think so." Piper cut in. "I'll go make breakfast. You wake up Phoebe, take your shower, and Phoebe and I can shower after we eat." Piper placed her hands firmly on her hips after seeing Prue prepare to argue. "I'm not eating black eggs and toast again, Prue." Piper told her. "If you can't work a toaster then you've no business being in the kitchen." Piper teased as she turned down the hallway.  
  
Prue scoffed at Piper as she walked down the hall. She rolled her eyes and turned to wake Phoebe. She smiled when she saw Phoebe had been watching the two of them beneath half closed eyelids.  
  
"Hey, sleepy head…" Prue taunted.  
  
"Don't tease." Phoebe muttered. "So…" She crawled to the foot of the bed. "We're skipping school today?"  
  
Prue nodded. "It's not our fault. Alarm clocks don't go off, parents don't wake us…then we don't get up and go."  
  
"Cool." Phoebe giggled as she jumped off the bed. "I'm hungry!" She informed Piper as she chased her down.  
  
Prue shook her head with a smile as she grabbed the clothes she'd set out the previous night, and went to the bathroom to take her shower. As she turned the water on, the smile faded, and she thought about the note in her pajama pocket. She thought about her father in his drunken state, and she thought about her mother going off to fight demons alone.  
  
"I hope she's ireally/i with Grams this time." Prue said to the shower curtain.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I want pancakes!" Phoebe said, sitting at the table watching Piper. "Ooh! No! I want waffles instead." She grinned at Piper's irritated look. "Oh! Better yet, how about French toast? With maple syrup! Mmm…"  
  
Fourteen-year-old Piper pulled pancake mix out of the cabinet. "You're getting pancakes." She told her sister.  
  
She pulled out the milk and eggs and began fixing the mix. She did the work with ease; she'd spent a lot of time making breakfast for herself and her sisters lately. Often their mother left for work just after waking them for school, and there father left just after that for work. Lately, neither was around much at any time of the day.  
  
Phoebe watched sadly. "I'm sorry, Piper."  
  
Piper looked at her sister in confusion. She hadn't realized she was crying until now. Phoebe walked over and took the bowl of pancake mix from Piper's hands and set it on the counter.  
  
"I didn't mean to make you sad." She said softly as she hugged Piper. "Pancakes are fine. I love your pancakes." She said reassuringly.  
  
Piper gave Phoebe a pat on the back. "You didn't upset me."  
  
"I didn't?"  
  
"No." Piper dried her eyes on a kitchen towel. "I upset myself. Our lives are upsetting, Pheebs." Piper picked up the bowl again and finished mixing the contents and then went about cooking the pancakes on the stove.  
  
Phoebe returned to the table and her chair to watch. 'This isn't fair at all.' She thought to herself. 'Piper and Prue shouldn't have to play mother at this age.' Phoebe looked down at her small hands and wished she could do more to help out, instead of always being the one who needed helping.  
  
Prue came downstairs and sat down beside Phoebe and Piper brought out plates and cups. She grabbed the milk and passed it to Prue, who filled everyone's cups. Piper dropped a couple of pancakes on each plate and set the syrup out. They all settled down and began eating their breakfast in silence. When Phoebe finished, she finally spoke up.  
  
"I'll clean up." She offered.  
  
"It's okay, Pheebs, we got it." Prue assured her.  
  
Phoebe shook her head and took the plate away from her sister. "I want to help out too." She told her forcibly, almost whimpering.  
  
"How about we all clean up?" Piper suggested.  
  
Phoebe reluctantly agreed to that. She had wanted to do something nice for her sisters to make up for everything they had been doing for her. She knew they did it out of habit now, but it didn't used to be so. She knew how much it used to grate at Prue to have to help her with anything…but that was before the fighting began. They were closer now. She was glad of that, but she hated the cause. If it took a dysfunctional family for them to see what they really had…  
  
Phoebe shook the thought away. They'd always loved each other, but lately they really had to show it. They had to look out for one another now. If they didn't…who else would?  
  
"What do you wanna do?" Phoebe asked, when they'd all finished cleaning.  
  
"I'm gonna take my shower, and then you are, and then we'll decide." Piper told Phoebe as she left the kitchen.  
  
Prue nodded. "But until then…what do you think of some television?"  
  
Phoebe nodded eagerly. "We can make fun of all the soap operas."  
  
They headed to the parlor and curled up together on the couch, watching cartoons. Who knew stuff like this came on while they were at school? Phoebe dozed back off to sleep a few times while Piper was showering. She wasn't much of a morning person. Prue just let her nap until Piper came down.  
  
"Phoebe's turn." Piper announced a few minutes later from the doorway.  
  
Phoebe stirred and woke with a start. "What?!"  
  
"Whoa, Pheebs, calm down." Prue said, patting her back. "It's just time for your shower."  
  
Phoebe looked from Prue to Piper and took a deep breath. "I had the worst nightmare that Mom didn't come home. Where's she at anyway?" Phoebe asked with a yawn.  
  
"She's with Grams." Prue answered.  
  
"What for?"  
  
"Well, Grams had a demon attack her, and Mom had to go help her vanquish it." Prue explained the note.  
  
"How long will she be gone?" Piper asked, not really expecting Prue to have an answer.  
  
"I wouldn't know." Prue replied. "As long as it takes to find the demon, I suppose."  
  
"Did you leave me any hot water?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I wasn't in there that long." Piper rolled her eyes and took her sister's place on the couch beside Prue.  
  
Phoebe left for the bathroom, muttering. "That's what you say every time."  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 6  
  
They had just finished dinner, Piper had prepared spaghetti, something simple, and now they were just sitting down in the parlor to watch some television. Prue and Phoebe curled up on the floor, leaning against the couch while Piper sat on the couch. She was being very jittery for some reason. She would sit still and then get up and move about before trying to sit still once more.  
  
After Piper got up and crossed the room, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall, Prue grabbed her hand and made her sit down on the couch again.  
  
"What's up with you?" She asked.  
  
"Nothing." Piper answered, trying not to worry them.  
  
"I wasn't born yesterday, sista." Prue grinned. "Spill it."  
  
"Well, it's just that…" Piper glanced down at her watch and sighed. "It's eight o'clock, Prue. Mom isn't home and I'm worried." Piper didn't want to get Phoebe worried over nothing, but she had to say what was on her mind. "I mean…what if she lied to us about being with Grams again? We didn't even call to check, she hasn't called to check in with us, and we're totally in the dark about what's going on."  
  
"Piper, I'm sure—"  
  
"What if the demon was too much for the both of them? What if they're lying over there at Grams' house bleeding to death as we speak? What if the demon captured them? What if—"  
  
"Piper! Stop it right now!" Prue said sternly. "You're scaring Phoebe. And quite frankly, you're scaring me. I don't want you thinking that way."  
  
Piper's head sunk to her chest. "Sorry." She muttered.  
  
"I know you're worried but you can't think in such a pessimistic light."  
  
"Pessa what?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"It means she's looking at things negatively." Prue told Phoebe. "She's only seeing the bad stuff."  
  
"Well, what do you expect? Nothing igood/i has happened to us in a long time, Prue." Piper argued her side of it. "It's become habit to see the bad in everything."  
  
"That sucks." Phoebe muttered angrily. "I'm sick of this!"  
  
"What?" Prue asked, some what shocked by her sister's sudden outburst.  
  
"I'm sick of having to worry about everything. I'm sick of you two having to take care of me. I'm sick of us not getting to be kids. We're not adults yet, we shouldn't have to carry the responsibilities of adults. I don't wanna fight demons and save the world, I don't wanna wonder where my parents are all the time, and I don't wanna worry about whether or not we'll have food in the fridge." Phoebe spat, standing up. "I wanna go spend the night at my friend's house and play! Just play…for no reason except that we want to and that we deserve to cause we're kids. I wanna go spend the night and, for once, inot/i be jealous of her happy family! I don't wanna go and then feel like I'd being ripped off! It's not fair, and I'm sick of it!"  
  
"Phoebe…calm down." Piper said gently.  
  
"No!" Phoebe stopped her foot. "Don't you wanna just be fourteen, Piper? Don't you just wanna gawk at boys and hang out with your friends instead of cooking and cleaning for your sisters? Prue, don't you just wanna go on dates and fall in love without having to worry about whether Piper and I will be safe?"  
  
Prue and Piper stared at Phoebe for a long while and finally glanced at each other. They had to admit…it would be nice to get to act their age.  
  
"I want my mom and dad to be under the same roof with me and my sisters. I wanna fight with you guys over petty stuff and not worry that it will tear this family apart more. Prue, I don't wanna grow up so fast!" Phoebe finally sighed deeply. She lowered herself onto the couch and took a deep breath. "I just want a normal life."  
  
Prue didn't know what to say. She and Piper threw their arms around Phoebe without the need of words. They held onto each other for a few minutes before pulling away. Piper brushed some hair out of Phoebe's face.  
  
"I will for all the same things, Phoebe." Piper said sadly. "But sometimes…" She faltered and looked to Prue.  
  
"Sometimes you just gotta work with what you've been given, whether it is good or bad." Prue explained. "Dreams don't always come true, but when they do…they mean so much more if you had to fight for them."  
  
Phoebe leaned into Piper's arms, clutching Prue's hands. "I'm tired of fighting, Prue."  
  
"I know, sweetie." Prue kissed her on the forehead. "Trust me, I know."  
  
Piper wrapped her arms around Phoebe, setting her chin on her sister's head. "What do we do now?"  
  
"More fighting." Phoebe sighed. "We have a family to save, don't we?" Phoebe looked into Prue's eyes. "I don't wanna be taken away from you guys."  
  
"Neither do I." Prue agreed.  
  
"Ditto for me." Piper nodded. "What about Mom?"  
  
"We wait a while longer." Prue shrugged. "If she doesn't turn up…then we go looking for her." Prue looked down. "And hope that nothing's happened to her. I don't know what else to do."  
  
"Then that's what we do." Phoebe stated. "You can't expect to have all of the answers all of the time." She said gently, squeezing Prue's hands. "If there's a demon to fight, then we'll kick his ass!"  
  
"Phoebe!" Piper chided.  
  
"Oh…right." Phoebe made an 'oops' face. "Sorry, forgot I'm not supposed to say that."  
  
Phoebe shrugged. "Actually, on second thought, I think those are the only words to put it in right now."  
  
Prue shook her head and laughed slightly. "Shall we go check the book for ways to locate Mom if she doesn't call in?"  
  
Phoebe nodded. "I think we should."  
  
Prue reluctantly moved from her position and pulled her sisters off the couch. Together they headed to the attic to do what they did best…solve problems that shouldn't be theirs.  
  
As Prue was looking through the book, Phoebe and Piper were trying to figure out where their mother had put the map and crystal for scrying. Piper jumped and threw a stuffed animal into the air when she heard the front door open and close downstairs.  
  
They all started to go downstairs, expecting their mother; they were going to meet her, until they heard their father's voice. They stopped at the attic doorway and glanced at each other.  
  
"Girls!" He shouted from the foot of the stairs. "Girls?"  
  
"Do you think if we're quiet that he might think we aren't here and he'll go away?" Phoebe whispered the question.  
  
"What if he knows something about Mom?" Piper asked.  
  
"What if he's drunk again?"  
  
"Guys! Shh!" Prue interrupted them.  
  
"Oh! Girls…" His voice was getting louder as he climbed the stairs.  
  
"What do we do, Prue?" Piper asked, looking around the room for somewhere to hide, just in case.  
  
"I don't know!" Prue frantically wracked her brain for an answer.  
  
"Prue!" Victor's voice didn't sound very drunk. "Pheebs!" Then again, he'd never slurred much when drunk. "Piper!"  
  
"Prue…" Phoebe pleaded.  
  
"Just…hide!" She answered in a panic.  
  
The three of them ran to opposite corners and crawled under or behind anything that would conceal them from their father. They waited, nervously, peeking out from their hiding spots. Victor appeared in the doorway, eliciting an inaudible gasp from Piper. She covered her mouth with her hand and sunk back into her hiding place.  
  
Victor momentarily glanced in her direction, but decided his children wouldn't hide from him. He turned and headed down the stairs. They could all hear the curses he muttered as he descended to the foyer. They heard the front door open and slam shut. Prue sighed…He'd been holding a package of some sort when she'd seen him in the doorway.  
  
"What was that?" Phoebe whispered from across the room.  
  
"What?" Prue asked, squeezing out from her hiding place.  
  
"All those papers in his hand." Piper finished for Phoebe.  
  
"Yeah." Phoebe confirmed.  
  
"I don't know." Prue admitted. "I'll go make sure he's gone. You two stay quiet and hidden until I come back."  
  
"Prue…"  
  
"I'll be careful…I promise." She told them and then slipped through the doorway.  
  
  
  
Part 7:  
  
  
  
Prue returned to the attic fine, informing her sisters that Victor really had gone.  
  
"I looked to see if he'd left the package, but it wasn't around." Prue said, sitting with Piper and Phoebe on an old couch.  
  
"We didn't find anything in the book, Prue." Phoebe told her sister. "Piper tried scrying but nothing came up."  
  
"Well…" Prue scratched her chin thinking.  
  
"What if—" Piper began but was cut off as the phone rang.  
  
Prue glanced at her sisters and hurried downstairs to answer the phone, Piper and Phoebe were hot on her heels. Prue answered the phone in the foyer.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Piper and Phoebe waited, impatiently, clinging to Prue's arm.  
  
"Grams? Is that you?" Prue's face scrunched up. "No, she said she was with you!"  
  
"Prue?" Phoebe poked wanting to know what was wrong.  
  
"Shhh!" Prue plugged her ear to hear her grandmother. "Don't go anywhere! Okay? We'll be there as soon as we can… No, we'll take a cab." Prue was about to hang up but Penny apparently said something else. "In the back? Are you sure? Alright, we'll use it! Be careful!"  
  
Quickly Prue hung up the phone and yanked her sisters up the stairs to the attic. She went directly to the book and flipped to the back.  
  
"Grams needs help with a demon. She hasn't heard from Mom since last Tuesday. We have to find a teleportation spell to get to Grams' house. She said it was in the—" Prue slammed her palm down on the book with a smile. "Aha! It's right here!" To her sisters she said, "Go get your coats and mine, I'll copy it down."  
  
Phoebe and Piper nodded and ran out of the room and down the stairs to get their coats. When they returned Prue was closing the book, holding the vanquishing spell and teleportation spell in her hand.  
  
"Who's the demon?" Phoebe asked as Piper handed Prue her coat.  
  
"Grams gave me this name," Prue glanced at her paper. "Woroc? I can't really say it that well."  
  
They cast the teleportation spell and found themselves in their grandmother's living room. They looked around, glancing at one another. Suddenly, they heard crashing sounds from the kitchen. They immediately headed in that direction. They pushed open the door to find Penny deflecting energy balls of all kinds from Woroc's hands.  
  
The neon green demon turned to glare at the girls. Piper quickly grabbed the vanquishing spell from Prue and started to read it. Phoebe and Prue shook their heads and joined in. The demon laughed at them and formed an energy ball in his hand, preparing to throw it at them. Piper's voice gained speed, and Prue and Phoebe struggled to keep up with her as they read the spell.  
  
The demon reared his arm back and then tried to step forward, he couldn't move and growled. He looked down at his feet and saw they were melting into a fiery pit of green goo. The energy ball vanished. Woroc grunted at the girls, trying to free his feet. When he knew he wouldn't be able to get loose he cursed and rolled his eyes.  
  
When Woroc was gone, Prue went to help an exhausted Penny to a chair.  
  
"Took you long enough." She muttered. "Oh, thank you, Prudence." She added as she slumped into the chair.  
  
"Are you alright?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I'm fine. Where was your mother?"  
  
"Why don't you tell us?" Prue sighed, plopping into a chair. "She left while we were sleeping this morning, and she left a note saying she was helping you with a demon."  
  
"I told you that the last time I talked to Patty was last Tuesday." Penny replied.  
  
"Dad came home drunk." Piper blurted.  
  
"Piper!" Phoebe whispered in a hiss.  
  
"What, Phoebe?" Piper turned to face her sister. "It's the truth."  
  
"I know, but he didn't hurt me!" Phoebe insisted.  
  
"I don't care, Pheebs!" Piper ran her hands through her hair in aggravation. "That's not the point! The point is that he could have—he nearly did! If Prue hadn't come along there's no telling what he would've done."  
  
"Piper, he's my father." Phoebe whispered with hurt in her eyes.  
  
"No he's not, not when he's drunk." Piper whispered.  
  
"Girls!" Penny interrupted them. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Prue filled Penny in on what had happened when Victor had come home from the bar, Penny was ready to march over to the Manor and set him straight.  
  
"He's not there." Prue explained. "He hasn't been around much lately, and when he is Mom isn't."  
  
"Well," Penny wasn't sure what to say just yet. She decided she'd need time to think about the situation. "It's getting late. Let's get you three home, you've school in the morning. I'll stay with you until your mother or father returns home."  
  
Piper nodded and steered Phoebe into the living room. Prue stopped Penny at the doorway.  
  
"Grams?"  
  
"Prudence?" Penny turned to face her granddaughter. "What is it?"  
  
"Our family is falling apart—no, listen to me…" Prue said as Penny was about to protest. "When Mom and Dad split up…I don't want to be separated from my sisters. Grams…we're going to need your help."  
  
"I know, sweetling." Penny hugged Prue. "We'll deal with that when it's brought about, but for now…you all need to get home."  
  
Penny grabbed her car keys off the counter. Prue followed Penny out to the car with Piper and Phoebe trailing behind. Once they were all buckled in, Penny started the car and drove them to the manor. The ride was a silent one and seemed longer than it should have.  
  
  
  
Part 8  
  
  
  
Two days after the girls had vanquished Woroc; Patty came back home to find her mother cooking something for the girls to eat when they got home from school. When Penny saw Patty she turned off the burner and set her hands on her hips with a nasty scowl.  
  
"And just where have you been?" She demanded, trying to remain calm.  
  
Patty looked tired and worn, but Penny didn't seem to notice. "Around." She sighed as she dumped her weary body into a chair.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you think wandering around San Francisco, dwelling in your self-pity, is better than being there when your mother needs help fighting off a demon, or more importantly, being here for your children. You left them alone. Alone, Patty! Don't you know what happens to young untrained witches when they're left alone and happen to be part of the Halliwell family line? They don't last long!" Penny paused and took a deep breath trying to compose herself. "They may be the Charmed Ones, but they don't know everything yet! You left them in danger!"  
  
Patty sunk her head into her hands and tried to tune her mother's words out. "I know I screwed up." She muttered. "I just…" Patty sighed and got up to go. "I'm going to my room, I need sleep. We'll discuss this later."  
  
Penny watched her daughter go with mixed feelings. She was worried and angry at the same time. She took off the apron she was wearing and tossed it down. She was going to go up and talk about what was wrong with Patty, but the back door opened and the girls came in.  
  
"Using the back door?" Penny asked.  
  
"We rode our bikes to school this morning, so we put them back in the back yard." Phoebe explained.  
  
"Oh, alright." Penny answered.  
  
She had woken them all up that morning and told them to get to school, and then went back to bed, not feeling well. She had assumed Prue would take the car and drive them.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Grams." Piper reassured her grandmother, knowing she was thinking she should have driven them. "We decided to take our bikes, it was a nice ride."  
  
"I didn't feel like driving." Prue shrugged, peeking into the pots on the stove. "What's cooking?"  
  
"Lunch." Penny announced.  
  
"We had lunch at school." Piper noted.  
  
Phoebe nudged her in the stomach with her elbow. "Does school really ever feed us enough?" Phoebe looked at Piper expecting an answer. When she didn't get one, she answered herself, "No!"  
  
"Alright, can't argue with that." Piper sat down at the table.  
  
"So, how was school?" Penny asked, stirring the macaroni and cheese in the pot.  
  
"Horrible, as usual." Piper muttered. "Hell on earth."  
  
"Piper, it wasn't that bad." Prue grinned.  
  
"Oh, sure, maybe not for you," Piper snapped back. "You still find it funny that I had to lock my feet around that pole between the doors to keep those guys from sticking me in the trash can. Hell, if the bell hadn't rung they probably would've dragged the trash can over to me."  
  
"Piper! Watch your tongue!" Penny reprimanded sternly.  
  
"It was funny though." Phoebe snickered. "I would've helped, but I couldn't get through the crowd to you."  
  
"Me neither." Prue admitted.  
  
"It was inot/ifunny!" Piper stressed and marched into the other room.  
  
Penny turned back to the stove and took a deep breath. "Your mother came home."  
  
"When? Is she okay? Where was she?" Prue asked quickly. "Why exactly was she gone so long? Did she know that Dad wasn't here with us?"  
  
"Calm down, Prudence. One question at a time please." Penny held out her hand to slow her granddaughter down. "First of all she got here minutes before you. She's fine, from the looks of her. She didn't say much. I don't know where she was or what she was doing or why she was gone so long."  
  
"Where is she?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I think we should leave her alone for a bit. She needs her sleep. She looked exhausted. She's in bed right now." Penny turned off the stove. "Now, you two take these bowls out to the table and wait there. I'll bring out the lunch and drinks."  
  
Phoebe and Prue obeyed. Once in the kitchen, Phoebe turned to Prue.  
  
"I kinda feel bad about not helping Piper." Phoebe stated. "I know only about eight kids were really there, but they were too big for me to make them stop."  
  
"I know, kid." Prue reassured her. "I wish I'd done more, but as far down the hall as I was, by the time I got there, they were leaving."  
  
"I hope she's not too mad." Phoebe set the bowls out on the tables in their regular spots.  
  
"I'm not." Piper told them, coming in to sit down. "But it wasn't funny!"  
  
"Okay." Phoebe agreed, sitting down.  
  
  
  
They ate their lunch and went up to Phoebe's room to watch television. Hours later as they were watching one of their favorite movies, Penny knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in." Phoebe called.  
  
Penny poked her head in. "Girls, your parents would like to see you downstairs."  
  
"Both of them?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Both of them." Penny nodded.  
  
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe slowly made their way downstairs. In the parlor Patty and Victor waited on them. The sisters sat down on the couch and their parents stood in front of them. Phoebe slipped her hand into Piper's for reassurance, and Prue put an arm around Phoebe.  
  
"What's up?" Piper asked.  
  
"Well, girls…" Victor started. "Christmas is coming up you know."  
  
"One week away." Phoebe nodded. "We know."  
  
"Well, I know we haven't asked yet, but we want you to make lists of what you want." Victor told them.  
  
Phoebe was sure this meant things were going back to normal. They'd have a happy family Christmas and all the fighting would end. She was just sure that's what this meant.  
  
"We want to each to make two lists." Patty continued when Victor refused to. "We need a list for each of us." Patty motioned between herself and Victor.  
  
"Two lists?" Phoebe asked in confusion. "Why? Every year we only give you one. You mean you both need copies so you can shop faster?"  
  
"No, sweetie," Patty said gently.  
  
Piper sniffled and squeezed Phoebe's hand as Patty lowered herself to look into Phoebe's face.  
  
"We need you both to make two different lists, because you'll be having Christmas two different places this year." Patty explained.  
  
"Why?" Phoebe asked.  
  
This wasn't right. Phoebe was so confused. Things were getting better, it was Christmas! They couldn't be getting worse…not at this time of the year. Why were they having Christmas two different places?  
  
"Your father and I…" Patty paused to look over at Victor. She finally shook her head. She didn't want to be the one to break the news. "This was your idea. You tell them." She moved over and sat down in a chair whispering in Victor's ear as she passed him. "I won't be the one to ruin their Christmas."  
  
Victor glared at her. "Your mother and I got a divorce." He said softly. "I know this can't be that big a shock to you…you've had to seen it was coming. I tried to tell you the other day when I brought the final papers over for your mother."  
  
'That's what that packet was he had.' Prue thought. She sighed and slumped back into the chair, tearing her eyes off his face. Piper was trying not to cry. Phoebe was utterly speechless. Finally, Phoebe wet her lips and spoke.  
  
"But it's Christmas, Daddy."  
  
"I know, Pheebs." Victor sighed. "But look at it this way… you get twice as many presents."  
  
"I don't care about presents!" Phoebe shouted jumping to her feet. "I'm losing my parents! I don't want your stupid gifts!" She turned and ran up the stairs to her room, passing Penny who was standing in the corner of the room quietly.  
  
"Prue, could you –"  
  
"No." Prue interrupted her father. "You had to do this on Christmas? You couldn't wait?"  
  
Victor just shared a look with Patty and then he sighed. "Don't you think she would've been curious when I wasn't here for Christmas? Things are different now, Prue."  
  
"I don't care." Prue sighed and turned to go after Phoebe.  
  
When Prue was gone and Piper was the only one left in the room, Victor turned to her. Patty bit her lower lip to keep from crying.  
  
"Piper?" Victor asked, trying to see how she was.  
  
"Why?" Piper muttered, without looking up. "After so many years you just gave up."  
  
"We didn't give up sweetie," Patty explained. "Things just change and people change, and sometimes you grow apart."  
  
"No!" Piper wiped her hand across her nose. "You gave up! I may wear glasses, but I'm not blind!" Piper stood up. "You didn't want to make it work." She said to Victor. "You just wanted out. That's why you spent so many nights down at that nasty pub! You didn't want to try and work it out. You just want to run away…that's what you always do! You run away from problems!"  
  
"Now you watch it, young lady!" Victor warned her gently.  
  
"No! You're not my dad anymore!" She snapped angrily and headed up the stairs.  
  
Victor turned to go after her, but Patty stopped him.  
  
"Can't you just leave it be for once? Stop making everything worse all the time."  
  
"I have to leave!" He finally decided.  
  
"That's right." Penny spoke up from the other side of the room. "Reinforce your daughter's words and run away."  
  
"You stay out of this!" Victor said in anger, trying to remain calm.  
  
"I most certainly will not." Penny replied. "Piper knows what she's talking about. I've seen men try in relationships, and then I've seen men run away. Piper saw things as clearly as anyone would have. She saw you tucking your tail between your legs and heading for the hills."  
  
"Mother, can't we just—"  
  
"No, we can't just, Patty." Penny told her. "I think you should go now." Penny told Victor. "This is your home no longer."  
  
  
  
Part 9  
  
Prue entered her sister's room. Phoebe was sitting on the bed, staring out the window. Prue wordlessly took a seat beside her and put her arm around Phoebe's shoulders and kissed her on the top of the head. Phoebe leaned into her sister and sighed.  
  
"That's one hell of a gift." Phoebe finally whispered, sniffling.  
  
"I know." Prue replied.  
  
"What went wrong, Prue?" Phoebe asked. "Was it because I wanted that guitar? Was it because Piper came home late?" She turned to look up at Prue. "Is this our fault?"  
  
"No." Prue told her sternly. "This isn't our fault. This was their decision."  
  
"Yeah, you're right." Phoebe looked back out the window.  
  
"I'm sorry." Prue told her sister.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm sorry this happened to you on Christmas."  
  
"It happened to you too." Phoebe said. "Besides, you said it yourself…we had no control over it."  
  
Prue looked down at the floor. "Well, sometimes I say things without knowing if they're true."  
  
"It has to be true though, Prue." Phoebe urged. "You do, at least, believe it is true, don't you?"  
  
"I want to." Prue admitted. "Sometimes, I just can't help but wonder if they'd've stuck together if we hadn't caused any problems."  
  
"The answer to that is no." Penny said coming into the room.  
  
Phoebe and Prue both turned to look at her. Penny smiled at them and sat down in the chair at the desk.  
  
"You do realize that this was destined to happen?" Penny asked. Prue and Phoebe didn't reply. "Your mother wasn't meant for your father. They were in love while it was necessary. It brought about the three of you. And they were deeply in love at the time." Penny explained. "But sometimes…fate has a different plan for you. Destiny throws you a curve ball and everything is turned upside down. However, it's how you deal with those curves that will determine how your life is changed."  
  
"You expect us to be strong and deal with this as adults?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I expect only that you don't hold any grudges against your parents for the way their hearts work. I expect that you will be there for one another when you're needed."  
  
"Grams, what will happen now?" Prue asked.  
  
"Well, I assume your mother will request she and Victor have joint- custody. However, your father may believe that the lifestyle of a witch is too dangerous and he may try to gain complete custody of all three of you, and if not all three than at least as many as he can."  
  
"He'll split us up if he can't get us all?" Phoebe asked, gripping Prue's hand.  
  
"Possibly." Penny confirmed. "But don't worry, darling. I'll be there as well. I'll make sure things work out as destiny has planned."  
  
Prue and Phoebe sat in silence as their grandmother left. Prue was worried about what would happen over the next few months. Phoebe was worried about what would happen over the next few days. She didn't want to lose her sisters, especially since they were actually getting close now. She was glad the days of her fighting with Prue were put on a stand still, and she didn't want to be yanked away from her sister.  
  
"I think we should go check on Piper." Prue stated finally.  
  
"Me too." Phoebe agreed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.  
  
Phoebe and Prue walked out into the hallway, hand in hand, to Piper's door, which was locked. Prue knocked and hear Piper's weak reply.  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Piper, it's me and Phoebe." Prue called back.  
  
"I don't care if it's God himself! Leave me alone!" Piper called back.  
  
Prue could tell from her sister's voice that she was crying. "Let me in, or I'll let myself in." Prue said gently.  
  
Piper flung back the door angrily. "What do you want?"  
  
Prue shoved into the room, Phoebe followed. "We need to talk."  
  
"Talk about what?" Piper asked, slamming her door shut.  
  
"You know what." Prue answered. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Do I look okay?" Piper hissed.  
  
Prue and Phoebe glanced at each other. Piper's eyes were red and puffy with tear streaks on her cheeks and a pink nose.  
  
"Did Grams talk to you?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I don't care what she has to say." Piper said softly, turning to lie down on her bed. "I don't even wanna be here right now."  
  
"Piper, I know you hurt, we all do, but we have to stick together. You can't push us away. We need you as much as you need us." Prue said, sitting on the edge of the bed.  
  
Phoebe crawled onto the foot of the bed. She sat there for a moment watching her sisters, and then she crawled up to sit by Piper's shoulders. She reached over and brushed Piper's hair off her face and then gave her a baby kiss on the cheek. She lifted Piper's arm and then lie down next to Piper, wrapping her sister's arm around herself, and holding onto the arm so Piper couldn't roll over and take it back.  
  
Piper sighed deeply and then started crying again. She buried her face in Phoebe's shoulder and pulled her baby sister closer, hugging her with the arm Phoebe held. Prue crawled up to lie on the other side of Piper and held her as she cried into Phoebe's shoulder.  
  
After a while Piper lifted her head. "This is the worst Christmas I've ever had."  
  
"At least you still have us." Phoebe pointed out, although she was thinking 'But for how long?'  
  
Piper sat up and looked at her hands while Prue and Phoebe watched her, wondering what she was going to do next.  
  
"I need to go apologize to Mom." Piper muttered. "Just to be sure I didn't hurt her feelings. I know Dad's the one who left, and I know Mom just can't help it if she didn't love him anymore. I shouldn't have yelled at them for going their own ways…"  
  
"But you hurt." Phoebe pointed out. "You couldn't just hold it in."  
  
"But I should have dealt with it better." Piper sighed. "Will you come with me?" She asked her sisters.  
  
Prue and Phoebe hopped out of the bed. "Sure." They said in unison.  
  
The three girls headed down the stairs. Penny was racing up the stairs, she bumped into them and quickly apologized while ushering them up with her.  
  
"What's going on?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Demon!" Penny explained. "Sam came and got your mom. He's coming back for me, but I have to have the vanquishing spell." She explained as she searched the book.  
  
Upon coming across the right spell she 'aha-ed' and yanked the page out. "I'll copy it back later. You girls stay here."  
  
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe watched as Penny shouted for Sam and he orbed in and took her hand. The two orbed away in a split second, leaving the girls to stare at each other. Prue finally headed downstairs. Piper and Phoebe followed.  
  
"What do we do now?" Phoebe asked her sisters.  
  
"We have dinner." Prue stated flatly. "There's not much else we can do. We don't know where they went, what they're up against…"  
  
"I guess that's better than pacing the house and imagining the worst." Phoebe shrugged.  
  
They headed into the kitchen and Prue and Phoebe sat down at the table to talk to Piper as she fixed them something to eat.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 10:  
  
  
  
Christmas came and went. The girls got gifts they wanted, gifts they didn't want, gifts that were bribes, gifts that were apologies, and gifts from one another. Patty was very distressed on Christmas morning as the girls opened their gifts. They each hugged her and thanked her, but they never once smiled. She was also angry with Victor for deciding that was the holiday for a divorce. She knew, however, that it was her fault that the divorce happened at all. Her and Sam…she beat herself up everyday for loving Sam more than Victor. She would always hear a voice in the back of her mind that would reprimand her by saying 'You can't deny your heart, woman! Just let fate deal its cards and make do with the hand you're dealt.' And so she did.  
  
New Year's Day came and went also. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe spent the day in Piper's room, with the door locked. Patty couldn't convince them to come downstairs or even to come out. They opened the door only to let dinner in, which Penny took to them.  
  
On the first day of January, Patty found her girls in the attic, cleaning up clutter with their grandmother. She was going to offer to take them out to lunch and then do a little shopping. However, her plans were dashed aside when Sam orbed into the attic and called for both Patty and Penny.  
  
"The Elders need you to go save a group of children from a dangerous demon." Sam explained. "There are two children in this group that will grow up to become very important people, possibly even change the course of the future…"  
  
"Sam…" Penny interrupted. "We'll come."  
  
"I'm coming too." Prue stated.  
  
"No." Patty told her. "You can't. It could be dangerous."  
  
"And I couldn't care less! I've had to save the both of you before, and I won't be left behind if you need me!" Prue said. "I'm either coming with you, or we'll find a way to get me there." Prue nodded towards her sisters who were watching quietly.  
  
"Decide quickly, Patty!" Sam urged. "We need to leave now."  
  
Piper glanced at her sisters, wondering if they noticed the way that Sam looked at their mother and the way she looked at him. Phoebe didn't seem to notice much of anything, she was staring at Prue. Piper turned her attention back to her sister and saw the determination in Prue's eyes.  
  
"Fine!" Patty submitted. "Let's go!"  
  
Sam took her hand, Penny's hand, and Prue grabbed his arm.  
  
"Piper, take care of your sister." Patty added quickly before they vanished in a flurry of blue lights.  
  
After a few moments, Phoebe brought Piper out of a daze.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Hm?" Piper glanced over at her sister and recollected her thoughts. "I was just thinking."  
  
"About?"  
  
"Nothing." Piper shrugged. "Let's finish up here and then I'll fix lunch."  
  
Phoebe sighed, wishing Piper would tell her what she'd been thinking. "Fine."  
  
They spent only a few more moments cleaning before Piper stood up and sighed. "Something doesn't feel right, Phoebe."  
  
"What?" Phoebe asked, closing a box of old junk and writing something on the top with a marker.  
  
"I don't know." Piper explained. "I just have this feeling…in the pit of my stomach that something is very wrong." Piper moved across the room to sit on the couch. "I wish I knew what they were doing."  
  
"Don't worry." Phoebe said, sitting beside Piper. "I'm sure they're fine. They're the three strongest witches we know."  
  
"They're the ionly/iwitches we know, Pheebs." Piper pointed out.  
  
"Yeah… you're right." Phoebe leaned back. "Piper, what were you thinking about earlier?"  
  
"What?" Piper asked, focusing on her sister. Phoebe cocked her head to the side. "Oh, well, Phoebe…I was, I was just thinking that maybe Mom and Sam have…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Maybe they have something going on." Piper finished.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like a relationship, ya dolt." Piper said jokingly. "They just look like they're in love. I might just be imagining things, but I don't know for sure."  
  
"You think they…" Phoebe paused. "You think that's the reason Mom and Dad split up, don't you?"  
  
Piper looked down. "Maybe. It would make sense, wouldn't it? People don't just stop loving each other for no reason…there's always a reason…isn't there?"  
  
"I don't know, Piper." Phoebe said, watching her sister curiously. "The heart is confusing to a twelve year old."  
  
Piper sighed. "She never looked at Dad that way."  
  
  
  
  
  
Phoebe and Piper sat quietly in the attic together for a while. Finally, Phoebe got up and said she was hungry so Piper went down to make her lunch. They ate, talking infrequently, and finally retreated to the Solarium.  
  
Late that night they heard the front door open. They went to see who it was and caught glimpse of Prue running up the stairs angry. Penny came into the house in tears. Piper and Phoebe glanced at each other with worry etched across their faces. Penny slowly turned and shut the door behind her. Piper stared at the closed door, and Phoebe stared at their crying grandmother.  
  
"Grams?" Piper croaked.  
  
Penny looked up, wiping her tears away, startled by her granddaughters. She hadn't noticed them standing there. She quickly composed herself and straightened up. She looked at Piper questioningly, unwilling to test her voice.  
  
"Where's Mom at?" Piper finished shakily.  
  
"Girls…" Penny whispered. "I think you should have a seat."  
  
Piper backed into Phoebe. "No…" She gasped.  
  
Phoebe glanced up the stairs where Prue had gone, and then glanced back at Penny. Her grandmother's face was tear-streaked. Phoebe heard Piper's ragged breaths, and then caught Piper as she fell into her arms, sobbing.  
  
Penny rushed forward to wrap her arms around the two. Phoebe stared over Penny's shoulder at the door. Patty would walk in any minute. She listened to her big sister cry and her strong and independent grandmother try to comfort her. Phoebe stared at the door. Phoebe felt Piper clutch her shirt and bury her face in her shoulder. Phoebe instinctively wrapped her arms around Piper, and finally, she looked away from the door, knowing it wouldn't open to show their mother ever again. She buried her own face in Penny's arms and cried with Piper.  
  
  
  
Part 11  
  
The funeral was a beautiful ceremony. There were more people present than the girls imagined their mother knew, however, they were touched that their mother had been loved by so many. Penny, Piper, and Phoebe had worked for weeks to convince Prue that there was nothing she could have done to change the course of events. It took long conversations filled with harsh words, tears, screaming, and even laughter to make her realize that she was not the cause of her mother's death. Although she did not cry at the funeral, she did cry at home. She was a pillar of strength for her sisters, she forced herself not to close them out, and she was there by their side at night after every nightmare.  
  
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe had endured days of isolation merely weeks after the funeral. Victor stated that he now had sole custody of the girls, but Penny saw things differently. They went to court to fight it out before a judge. The girls were brought it occasionally to be questioned, but they were kept mostly in the dark about the goings on during the court sessions. Penny wouldn't tell them how things were going and tension in the Manor built. The girls wanted to stay together, and they wanted to stay with their grandmother—the one last person who could teach them all the needed to know about being witches.  
  
In the end, Penny won custody of the girls. The judge ruled that Victor was a workaholic and wouldn't have time to devout to the girls as a loving and over protective grandmother would. That, in their best interest, the girls would be raised henceforth by their mother's mother. Victor was disappointed with the ruling, but abided by it nonetheless.  
  
The night Penny won custody of the girls she came home and told them right away. The girls, of course, were all relieved. They started back to school feeling very different, somehow more grown up, perhaps mentally older and wiser for their ages. They had suffered a divorce during the Christmas holiday closely followed by the death of their mother. They shut themselves off from the rest of the school for a short while. None of the children could make them open up. They were, it seemed, suffering from a great deal of pain and grief. Often times, they were found together, sitting away from the other children. Their grades increased tremendously, all three girls began to make straight A's. No longer did they have the heart to play, to enjoy life, to relax, they no longer had the heart to be children. They spent their days studying and doing chores. The only luxury time they had they spent watching movies together. Penny noticed this was concerned.  
  
So, Penny found the girls studying in Phoebe's room one day and proceeded to have a talk with them about how their lives were going. She'd received phone calls from the principle, stating that her granddaughters were becoming 'loners'.  
  
She gently knocked on Phoebe's bedroom door. "Girls, can I come in for a moment?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Penny let herself in and took in the sight. Phoebe was lying, belly down, on the bed with school books strung around her. Piper was sitting in the floor with her books stacked, using them as a table to write a report on. Prue was sitting at the desk with two books open and a third in her lap.  
  
"Girls," Penny started softly, both amazed and saddened by the scene before her. "I would like to have a talk with the three of you. You'll join me for tea in the solarium in fifteen minutes."  
  
"Grams, we're doing homework at the moment." Prue pointed out.  
  
"I'm aware of that, Prudence." Penny said crossing her arms. "But it is Saturday. You can spare a few minutes for a cup of tea."  
  
"Yes, ma'am…" Prue muttered, turning back to her books. "Fifteen minutes." She agreed.  
  
Penny sighed. She'd never admit it, but that was one other thing that bothered her. None of the girls argued with her anymore. She found it unnatural. In the past, even Piper, the peaceful one of the bunch, would occasionally argue or talk back…her sarcasm often got the best of her. But now everything was 'yes, ma'am', 'no ma'am', 'I apologize'… their manners were unbelievably perfect.  
  
Penny nodded and shut the door, heading down to prepare the tea. All she really wanted was her granddaughters back. She understood they were in pain. She had lost Patty as well...but there was no reason to dwell on the past. They had to live their lives. They had to move on somehow.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Penny sat in the Solarium with four glasses and a pitcher of tea on a tray. She sat staring at the tray, waiting on her granddaughters. After the first few minutes, she didn't think they were going to come, but they finally arrived eight minutes late.  
  
"Sorry, Grams," Phoebe said. "We lost track of the time."  
  
"It's quite all right." Penny said, pouring each of her granddaughters a glass of tea.  
  
Piper took her glass last and sat back next to Phoebe and Prue. "What did you want to talk to us about?" She asked.  
  
"It's been brought to my attention that you're shutting the world out of your lives."  
  
"We're doing what?" Prue asked. "We are not."  
  
"When was the last time you went out with Andy, Prudence?" Penny asked.  
  
Prue opened her mouth and then closed it, thinking. She looked down at her hands and her glass of tea. "I don't remember." She admitted.  
  
"Before your mother died…" Penny answered for her. Prue took a deep breath and looked at the floor. "Prudence, he's left you a dozen messages. It's been long enough. You have to move on with your lives again. It's what your mother would want." Penny told them in a soft voice.  
  
"But…" Phoebe whispered…her voice dry. She took a sip of tea to continue. "I don't know how to move on without her."  
  
"You do it together." Penny told them. "You accept the fact that she's happy now. She's at peace. There are no more demons to plague her existence. No more evil for her to face. She loved you all…she still loves you all. She'd had for you to live your lives this way."  
  
"She's right." Piper wiped a hand across her eyes. "Mom wouldn't want us to die with her."  
  
They sat together in the Solarium for a long while. Mostly, they sat in silence, but now and again they would voice a memory aloud for the others to enjoy. Finally, Prue got up to leave and when Penny stopped her she said she had something to do.  
  
"I think it's about time I call Andy back." Prue said, offering her grandmother a small smile.  
  
Once Prue was gone, Phoebe cleared her throat. "Grams?"  
  
"Yes, dear?"  
  
"I was wondering if you would…" Phoebe paused to bite her lower lip and then went on. "Would you finish teaching me about herbs and potions? Mom was doing it when…"  
  
"I would be delighted, my dear." Penny announced. "Piper, would you like to join us?"  
  
Piper finished off her tea and looked down at her empty glass. "I think I have some things to do."  
  
Penny nodded sadly and led Phoebe into the kitchen. Piper set her glass down and went up to her room. After Prue got off the phone with Andy, she went to find Piper.  
  
"Piper?" Prue knocked on the door. "What are you doing?"  
  
Prue walked into the room to see Piper was playing a home video of their mother. Prue sat down next to her little sister.  
  
"I'm letting Mom go." Piper said, smiling up at Prue.  
  
Prue kissed her sister on top of the head. "How about we let her go together?"  
  
Piper smiled and leaned against her sister. "Sounds like a plan to me."  
  
Together the watched the television screen in silence. They watched Patty laugh and smile, swinging a baby Phoebe around on her hips. Phoebe was giggling and tugging on her mother's hair. Piper and Phoebe were running around their mother's feet, begging to have a turn to twirl. Victor's voice could be heard behind the camera.  
  
Phoebe stood at her sister's doorway and smiled, as a few tears slid down her face. Penny came up beside her and draped an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"Let's let them be alone for awhile." Penny suggested. "This is their goodbye."  
  
"I know." Phoebe whispered, wiping away a tear and heading upstairs with Penny to the attic. "I've already said my goodbyes."  
  
"So have I." Penny grinned. She knew they would all see Patty again, very soon as well…but she didn't say anything else. She just followed her youngest granddaughter to the attic, amazed by the strength in the child, and readied herself for a lesson in spell writing.  
  
~*~The End~*~ 


End file.
